Using Signal, you can communicate instantly while avoiding SMS fees, create groups so that you can chat in real time with all your friends at once, and share media or attachments all with complete privacy. The server never has access to any of your communication and never stores any of your data.

This replaces Red Phone and Text Secure that were also by Open Whisper System, (IIRC, might have been just been Whisper at the time). You can replace your existing SMS app with it, it will send normal unsecured SMS & MMS to anyone who doesn't have it installed and registered.

Uses your data connection to send to people who have the app installed and registered, good for those that have to pay for SMS/MMS but have a data allowance, (like me).

Not completely off topic, may be I can ask what may seem like a redundant question here

The frequency of app updates is crazy, so much so I often feel I am accidentally on some global alpha testing list (which of course does not exist). I supposed I can disable updates but I want to ask if this is just an obvious, no kidding thing everybody is used to?

Don't have that many apps, see spoiler below for my list if you wish, but I am talking about any app like twitter having two plus updates a month for example.

Thanks wraith. Even in 2016 I find it to be too much, too frequent. Assuming it is bugs or security, because it is surely not new features this often, how many bugs (that I almost never notice anyhow) or security issues can apps really have and even then how are they really fixing them so frequently. Very odd, to me any way. The play store's what's new notes are often unhelpful too.

I too have been astonished at how often some apps are updated on Android. Two thoughts have occurred to me: 1) the developers are not very experienced and thus are having to make very frequent corrections, or 2) the developers are amazingly conscientious, much more so than Windows developers, and thus are quick to repair any flaw and are constantly working on making the app better.

Whatever the truth is, it's interesting that the developers are willing to invest so much time and thought into these apps which are often free or extremely inexpensive. I know that's true of a lot of DC developers, but I thought you guys were a rare breed.

[rant] It's part of the rapid, iterative development mindset. Push out lots of little changes, quickly and often. In some ways it's good. Instead of having to wait 6 months or a year (or longer) for lots of new features to arrive, and practically have to learn a new product when "the big update hits" you get them all as soon as they're ready and learn how to use them one at a time. But it also changes how we pay for things. When you had a single large update where lots of new features were added, it made sense to charge an upgrade fee for it. But now with constant updates a little at a time, people don't feel like any one change is worth an upgrade fee, so developers start charging an ongoing subscription. [/rant]

I've disabled automatic updates on my device. I usually just click "Update All" once a month and ignore any prompts about app updates until the next time I'm ready to update them.